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Entries from July 1, 2007 - July 31, 2007

Tuesday
Jul312007

Free of Vexations

"To find fault with others and talk about it is a sinister act in itself; it is also an indication of an impure mind. Your mind will become more composed and unfettered if you get rid of the habit of differentiating pleasant circumstances from the bad. Therefore, keep it to yourself when you see anything immoral or anyone breaching the Dharma. Do not expose them, nor feel any aversion. 'With your mind in a pure state, you will be free of vexations.' This also indicates the potency of your practice." (1)

The objective in our practice, in our cultivation, is to maintain the mind that is not swayed from its naturally calm, clear state. Ideally, when we see someone doing something wrong, we view the act as purely as a mirror reflects what is in front of it. When we are not yet at this point, we will be tempted to speak of what we have seen to others. But this is a discriminatory thought, a wandering thought that does not advance us in our practice of helping others.

Speaking of the immoral, unethical, or just unkind actions of others will agitate us and cause us to be annoyed or perhaps frustrated. Hardly the state of a happy person at ease with the world.

We need to get out of the habit of gossiping and carelessly speaking of the actions of others. See it, and let it pass.  

(1) Analects of Master Kuang-ch’in

 

Monday
Jul302007

How Should We Practice Nianfo?

956849-886927-thumbnail.jpgIn the Pure Land school…[w]e emulate Avalokitesvara ’s compassion and Mahasthamaprapta's single-mindedness. The "Chapter of the Perfect and Complete Realization of Mahasthamaprapta" in the Surangama Sutra tells us how Mahasthamaprapta and fifty-two fellow bodhisattvas single-mindedly concentrated on being mindful of Amitabha Buddha and on chanting his name from the time they took refuge until the time they attain Buddhahood. All they relied on was the name of Amitabha Buddha—[as the sutra says] "without the aid of any other expedient, the mind will be opened."

In other words, Pure Land practitioners do not need to rely on any other method. From their initial determination to seek enlightenment until their attainment of Buddhahood, they only need to concentrate on nianfo—on being mindful of Amitabha Buddha and on chanting his name.

How should we practice nianfo? Mahasthamaprapta taught us that the key is "the perfect control of the six senses with continuous pure thoughts." "Pure thoughts" means that when we chant "Amituofo" we should not have any doubts or other thoughts. The mind must be pure; we must chant with a pure mind. "Continuous" means that we chant with no interruption. "No intermingling, no doubt, and no interruption" is the key to success in the practice of nianfo that Mahasthamaprapta taught us. If we practice "the perfect control of the six senses with continuous pure thoughts," we will definitely succeed in our practice of nianfo.

~ Venerable Master Chin Kung

 

Sunday
Jul292007

Right Teaching at the Right Time

In Buddhism, we hear of auspiciousness. What does auspiciousness mean? Its general meaning is getting what we deserve. To take what we are not entitled to is not auspicious. But auspiciousness has a much more profound meaning. It means that we are entitled to understanding all the noumenon (principles) and phenomena (events and things) in the whole universe, as well as to enjoying all of them. This is great auspiciousness.

For example, when we mindfully chant "Amituofo" and wholeheartedly want to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, we deserve all that the Western Pure Land has to offer.

In our world, what is most auspicious is the Buddha using different methods to teach sentient beings according to their levels. The Buddha had two teaching principles. First, his teaching never contradicted the truth, which is the truth of life and the universe. Second, he always adapted his teaching to suit the audience’s level of comprehension.

If his teaching was too difficult, it would be incomprehensible to the listeners, so the teaching would be futile. This would be inauspicious. If his teaching was too simple, it would be boring for the listeners. This would also be inauspicious.

Therefore, giving the right teaching at the right time is most auspicious. Furthermore, gaining true benefits from the Buddha’s teaching is the ultimate and perfect auspiciousness.

~ Venerable Master Chin Kung 

 

Saturday
Jul282007

Start From the Root

956849-886881-thumbnail.jpg

In Buddhism, cultivation means correcting one’s wrong actions. There are so many actions that we cannot name them all. But we can group these innumerable actions into three categories: physical—what one does, verbal—what one says, and mental—what one thinks. All actions fall into these three categories and are thus called three karmas. or karmic activities.

Doing something wrong, saying something wrong, or thinking something wrong—these are all erroneous actions. Correcting erroneous actions is called cultivation and this correcting should start from the mind.

In Buddhism it is said “Cultivation should start from the root.” What is “the root”? The mind is the root; that is, our thought is the root. It is the root of our speech and behavior.

If our mind is proper, then our speech and behavior will also be proper. If our mind is not proper, then it is hard for us to pretend to be proper. People will quickly see through our pretense. Therefore, we should cultivate from the mind.

~ Venerable Master Chin Kung 

 

Friday
Jul272007

Heart and Mind Together

Few people are capable of wholehearted commitment, and that is why so few people experience a real transformation through their spiritual practice. It is a matter of giving up our own viewpoints, of letting go of opinions and preconceived ideas, and instead following the Buddha's guidelines. Although this sounds simple, in practice most people find it extremely difficult. Their ingrained viewpoints, based on deductions derived from cultural and social norms, are in the way.

 

We must also remember that heart and mind need to work together. If we understand something rationally but don't love it, there is no completeness for us, no fulfillment. If we love something but don't understand it, the same applies.

If we have a relationship with another person, and we love the person but don't understand him or her, the relationship is incomplete; if we understand the person but don't love him or her, it is equally unfulfilling. How much more so on our spiritual path. We have to understand the meaning of the teaching and also love it. In the beginning our understanding will only be partial, so our love has to be even greater.

~ Ayya Khema